Girls of the Night
by Empress
Summary: My story of a new singer who arrives at the Paris Opera House with a terrible secret.


Girls of the Night 

Girls of the Night

Erik:  
Christine has been gone from my life for years now, yet I still feel the pain as if she had left just yesterday. She has gone up to the world above where she can laugh and dance with him in public forever. I feel so lost without her, but at the same time, my heart is being pulled towards a new singer at the opera. 

She arrived quite suddenly, from England, so much a mystery to us all. In her eyes, I see a haunted hunted look, as if she has come here from the fires of Hell. She never speaks of her past, but I sense a tragedy greater than anyone else can ever know. She moves through the Opera House silently and quickly as if there were someone waiting in the shadows to snatch her. 

This creature first caught my eye when she auditioned for the managers. In her voice, I could detect a feeling of sadness. Of course those two foolish managers could not hear the beauty in her voice, and they dismissed her without a second thought. 

It has been years since I have intervened in the affairs of the Opera. I thought it better to let them believe that I was dead and gone. For her, I shed my invisibleness, and sent a note requesting her placement in the corps to them. I daresay I gave them quite a scare, and before long, my nightingale returned. 

I wish to learn about her, understand her fright, but I myself am frightened. I scared Christine away with my horribly disfigured face and terrible temper, I do not wish to frighten this one away. Ah, I should stop fooling myself, I am old now, time moves faster, and the dreams I once had fade in the light. I stay down here in my Palace, hiding from the world and awaiting for the day Death will come and take me away from this painful existence. The only happiness I now find in my life comes from her. 

I have never even spoken to her, yet I feel as if I already know her. I know her every movement, every gesture, I know her completely, but I ask myself, do I really? Do I know why she fled from London? Do I know why she has a frightened look on her face all the time? Do I know why she sings with such sadness? These are the unanswerable questions. Oh, how I wish I could speak with her, but I dare not scare her away... 

Lucy--  
I have finally arrived in Paris, and I fear Edward will find me. Ever since I fled from him that night, I fear he is always right behind me watching my every move. These hallways are cold and dark, and I fear for my life. 

I remember there was once a time when nothing frightened me-I was invincible! Then, he walked into my life. Oh, yes I was prepared to play his game, but never did I expect it to end in murder. So many murders were committed during his reign of terror. I was blind not to see the evil inside of him, I thought he was a kind man. 

Over the course of a few months, I have met two very remarkable men, and lost them as quickly as they had found me. One seemed the kindest man I had ever met, and the other was pure evil. I was inexplicably drawn to both, but it is impossible for one woman to love two men. 

Henry was such a kind, charming, gentle man, but Edward. Oh Edward! He was rougher, coarser, but more passionate. I never knew which man I truly loved. I felt drawn to Edward in a way, I cannot explain-his very presence stirred feelings inside of me I had never felt before. But, I must keep these thoughts out of my head. This is Paris, the home of my family, possibly the only safe refuge left for me now. 

The opera house is a place that nurtures me, but the rumours of the Phantom upsets me greatly. It is not as if I have not suffered at the hands of a murderer in London, why must I always come face to face with danger? 

Erik:   
I watch this strange new creature from the shadows, scared to let her see me. She is a common girl, I can tell that by the way she moves, but she makes no effort to get to know anyone at the opera. She is a solitary creature, but when she is left by herself in her dressing room oftentimes she breaks down and sobs. She cries repeatedly for two men whose names are foreign to me. Henry and Edward. I can discern that something happened between her and these men. Perhaps they were brothers fighting over her and inadvertantly harmed her. She has no physical scars, but the scar in her soul that I do not think anyone can heal. 

She is unlike Christine in a million different ways, her mannerisms are different, her speech, even her voice differs from Christine's. I love her more for these differences. Christine lacked depth whereas this new girl seems to understand people more than anyone I have ever met before. I sent one of my agents out to find information about her and all I know is her name is Lucy, she is from England, and left shortly after a rash of murders committed by Henry Jekyll and his accomplice Edward Hyde. It seems as if she knew these two men, but I cannot imagine a beautiful creature such as herself being involved in murder, she does not seem capable of the act. I wonder... I wonder if I have the courage to speak to her through the mirror as I did with Christine. I know it is too late for me to ever feel love, but perhaps I can be the friend she seems to need. 

Lucy--  
I have heard a voice calling to me. This Opera House is a strange and in some ways, frightening place. There are talks of a Phantom who lives beneath the Opera house and once captured one of the divas, Christine Daae. I do not know what to believe. I know the voice I hear is sweet and kind sounding, but Edward could sound that way too. Repeatedly it asks me to speak to it, to explain my sorrows, but I know I cannot. I cannot ever explain what happened for I have never understood Henry's relationship to Edward. Perhaps I am being foolish, not trusting this voice, this person who wants to be my friend, perhaps I should give him a chance... 

Erik-

"Erik, I found something for you whilst I was taking a holiday in London this past fornight," Renoir said placing a newspaper clipping on top of the organ.

"What is this my friend?" I asked picking up the clipping and reading the headline. "Death of reknowned doctor answers questions about murders….what?"

"I think I have discovered Lucy's secret," Renoir said slyly. "Read on."

"The death of Dr. Henry Jekyll, who had recently been kicked out of his medical practice for his strange ideas about personality, died yesterday at his wedding reception. Witnesses say it looked as if he was taken over by someone not himself, someone he called 'Hyde' and he had threatened the life of his bride. Shots were fired, one killing Dr. Jekyll and another killing his alter ego Hyde. Investigators have looked into the name Hyde and found it associated with the multiple murders that have plagued London for several weeks. The latest victim in these murders was Lucy Mantese, a young prostitute. Investigators ask anyone with any further information to please contact them at Scotland Yard."

"Henry and Edward, those are the two names you hear her cry for?"

"Yes, it seems as if we have more than one ghost in this opera house," I said looking at the picture of Dr. Jekyll. "I wonder if this place is becoming a might too crowded…"


End file.
